A New York Times Columnist, Paul Krugman, touched the third rail of Obamacare Sunday, while on ABC's 'This Week' when he made a statement confirming the need for 'death panels' as a means of containing health care costs (see video). Krugman is not the first person who has advocated the use of 'death panels' and yet liberals excoriated Sarah Palin for pointing out that the Obamacare bill contains what many on the left have said needed to be done.

During the discussion, which was about the Deficit Commission's recent recommendations on cutting expenses, Krugman made his statement in response to when discussion would take place concerning the commission's recommendations. He stated, 'Some years down the pike, we're going to get the real solution, which is going to be a combination of death panels and sale's taxes. Its going to be the; we're actually going to take Medicare under control and we're going to have to get some additional revenue from a VAT.'

Krugman's statement was not the first time he has suggested the use of death panels as a cost saver. He made a similar statement on 'This Week' earlier this year and the panel received his statement with laughing in affirmation that death panels would save money. The interesting thing is that he went on to say that economists that he talked to agreed that death panels would have a 'major cost saving.'

After the show, Krugman, whose byline on his blog is 'The conscience of a liberal', wrote on his blog an entry entitled 'Death Panels and Taxes' where he went into greater detail about how 'death panels and sales taxes' will and should be relied upon. He also points out this is not the first time he has said this. In an earlier opinon piece, he points out how those pushing to cut spending are meeting the efforts to control health care costs with the cries of 'death panels.'

Krugman is not the first liberal to call for death panels. Robert Reich, a very liberal former Labor Secretary under Bill Clinton who is now an economics adviser for Barack Obama, made a more bold statement concerning the same when he gave a speech on September 26th, 2007 at U.C. Berkley. In it he said, 'We're going to have to, if you're very old, we're not going to give you all that technology and all those drugs for the last couple of years of your life to keep you maybe going for another couple of months. It's too expensive...so we're going to let you die.' His statement was frighteningly received with applause and cheers from the U.C. Berkley crowd of mostly students.

For those who think it would never come to this or that only limited applications of this thinking could apply, one only has to look at Europe as to what can happen when amoralists adopt death as a way to save money. Conditions used to justify killing of infants such as spina bifida, which many people live with and have productive lives, is legal in the Netherlands. Some, such as John Harris, a member of the official Human Genetics Commission and professor of bioethics at Manchester University in the UK, are even suggesting that because abortion is legal, what should stop the killing of a child just because they are on the other end of the birth canal.

How can some call health care a 'right,' then laugh about how using 'death panels' to eliminate a living person's right to live and receive their health care 'rights' to sustain their life in order to save money? The answer is simple, when liberals elevate state sanctioned privileges to that which our Creator has defined as rights, then real rights are no longer safe when money gets tight.

Finally, while people can debate the ways to reduce health care costs, the left should never again ever refer to anyone as making money 'on the backs of the poor' when what they are advocating is the literal 'stabbing in the backs of the poor' to save money. The bigger debate that needs to take place is how America sold it soul to evil can even think that a solution to saving money is to tell old people to just die.

...they say Krugman released a 'clarifying' comment on Krugman's blog.

Yeah, he has something there. I'm not sure about copyright issues, so I'll not copy it here. Here's a link, you have to go down the heading "Death Panels and Sales Taxes."

He says he was talking about something, but "not really death panels, of course." He also says he's "said this before," implying that we weren't paying attention, and if we aren't going to pay attention to what he says, we shouldn't complain when we misunderstand him when he goes on television and states that what needs to happen is exactly what Sarah Palin has said will need to happen, only she was vilified for what she said.

19
posted on 11/15/2010 2:03:52 PM PST
by Steely Tom
(Obama goes on long after the thrill of Obama is gone)

The American Taxpayer will put a VAT on the politician and a Death Panel on the Politicians. Tell your politician in DC and a the state level, either put the needs of its constituent first and take a pay cut to 50,000.00 and cut their lifetime benefits or they too will face a death panel and a Value Add Tax on their jobs - term limits and 100%taxation on the money that they recive from Lobbyists. I strongly believe they will get the picture. Nancy Pelosi needs to reimburse the American people for evrything she spent foolishy on - airplane trips for family bottled water, flowers fresh every day. Enough of the caca in DC.

LOL, I remember seeing Soylent Green in 73 when it came out and it gave me the creepy-crawlies. I still remember, "Here come the scoops!" I also remember thinking if things ever got tyrannical commie-crazy that something like that could happen. Well, . . .

27
posted on 11/15/2010 2:38:02 PM PST
by Art in Idaho
(Conservatism is the only hope for Western Civilization.)

This is the temp ‘doc fix’ that congress did before they ran off to get either dumped or re-elected. It just stopped the 21% cut already in effect and gave a temp increase of 2% until Dec 1.

BUT Beginning Jan 1, an additional 10% decrease starts...with another 10% in 1012, and another 10% in 2013...30% altogether on top of the 23%, if simple math is correct that’s a 53% cut...COMPLETE GUT of Medicare.

According to the WSJ there is a $8+ TRILLION gut over 20 years to Medicare.

Krugman made his statement in response to when discussion would take place concerning the commission's recommendations. He stated, 'Some years down the pike, we're going to get the real solution, which is going to be a combination of death panels and sale's taxes.

Does Krugman think he'll escape the death panels??

It's disgraceful that Sarah was criticized so much for mentioning death panels.

It’s serious. I encourage everyone to read more about Euro style “health care” systems. In most places they have shortages of doctors and equipment, and waiting lists like they do here in Canada. In many places like Britain they can deny you certain treatments based on age and weight. In some places, like the Netherlands, they practice euthanasia. Socialism inevitably leads to euthanasia, forced abortion and labor camps. FACT

Any politician who doesn’t have the Right to Life correct will easily go for death panels.

Life is the ultimate right. Without life, no other rights apply.

Sarah Palin knowlingly birthed her Down Syndrome baby and says she stands for Life. Her actions speak the truth.

She IS imminently qualified to be president. Those who would kill off their babies and elderly are not. They must be stopped in their tracks.

Fox News running of 12 “conservatives” contending for the office of the presidency is not helpful. It is more of the “divide and conquer” approach to putting a moderate in charge.

Conservatives must unite behind one candidate and not waver. We MUST also somehow allow moderates and liberals to divide their own vote during the primaries, so that their candidates are knocked out by divided voters.

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